Nature Moncton Nature News: July 29 2015

Marguerite Windsor was checking some milkweed plants for monarch butterfly evidence in Berry Mills on Tuesday to note some nearby evening primrose in bloom and disturbed a pair of PRIMROSE moths. One lifted off to land elsewhere for an excellent whole body photo while the second one stayed within the flower, as they often do. Evening primrose is their sole plant of interest. When the pods of the evening primrose plants come on, the primrose moth caterpillars look precisely like the green pods. Astounding camouflage!

** Brian Stone also checked out a milkweed patch for MONARCH butterfly evidence on Gorge Rd. near Mapleton Park on Tuesday. No monarchs but did photograph a GREAT SPANGLED FRITILLARY butterfly on the blossoms. A BRONZE COPPER butterfly was also there which would be an unexpected place for that species but a photo is hard evidence of it being there.

Also at Mapleton Park Brian noted several species of birds carrying caterpillars which stopped for a photo, as well as some MEADOWHAWK dragonflies in flight.

** Ina Freeman got photos of a BEARDED-TONGUE plant in bloom on Maple Trail Lane in Riverview recently. It appears this is a garden escape doing well.

** Aldo Dorio got some nice photos from different angles of a BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON on Tuesday that are much more commonly seen in the Tracadie to Lameque area of NB. This one was photographed at Point-a-Bouleau near Tracadie.

Barb Jennings noted several COMMON WHITE-TAILED dragonflies flying about Mapleton Park on Tuesday and cooperated for a photo.